Chelsea to win Prem with Man Utd and Liverpool beating Arsenal to top four - Michael Owen

BOLD: Owen has predicted that Arsenal will miss out on the top four this season [GETTY]

The former United and Liverpool striker has, perhaps unsurprisingly, tipped his former clubs to edge out Arsene Wenger's Gunners to qualify for Champions League football in 2015/16.

And Owen thinks Chelsea's new firepower will see them beat current champions Manchester City into second place next term.

Owen said: "I felt the Achilles heel for Jose Mourinho's side last season was the inability of their strikers to score goals and I feel recent £32m signing Diego Costa is the final piece of the jigsaw for the West London outfit and I fully expect his goals to change a very good side into a title-winning one.

“I still think they will finish above Arsenal”

Michael Owen

"Ironically the Club have never adequately replaced Blues' legend Didier Drogba and whilst the Ivorian is not going to be the same player second time around I expect him to pick up his fair share of goals and have a positive effect around the Club."

With Owen's top our being Chelsea first, City second, United third and Liverpool fourth, the former England striker insists the hardest decision was in which order the two Manchester clubs would come - not to leave the Gunners out.

"I thought long and hard about who would finish as the top Manchester side and just came down on the side of the Champions despite the fact that I have been singularly unimpressed by their summer recruitment." Owen continued on his Bet Victor blog.

"Liverpool showed last term that it is possible to make the jump from 7th to 2nd without European football and it wouldn't surprise me to see van Gaal's United make a similar leap but I just give the nod to City.

"Despite the fact that Liverpool have lost the best player in the League and will have European football to contend with next term I still think they will finish above Arsenal in the battle for what I believe is the final Champions League position."